Tentative 12-day Itinerary for Paris, Dijon, Lyon, and Coast
 

Please let me know if this sounds feasible. I'm a planner through and through, but once I get somewhere, I'm very good about going with the flow and what we get around to, we get around to. We are (for me at least) getting crazy and for the most part not making firm plans for our time on the coast. We just want to see the beautiful villages, the Mediterranean, and enjoy good seafood and wine. Thank you in advance

Day 1: Arrive early am in Paris. Hotel Holiday Inn Paris Notre Dame.
Around lunch time, head to Tocadero and Eiffel Tower.

If time, stop by Napoleon's Tomb on way to Louvre

Evening at the Louve (looking into a guided tour) since open late on Friday

Day 2: Notre Dame/Ste Chapelle in morning since near our hotel
Rest of day make our way along sights of Champs Elyses to Arc de Triompe
Evening boat ride along Siene (probably the Batobus)

Day 3: Pantheon in morning
early lunch then Musee d' Orsay
My husband will have to leave for work training near Lyon late afternoon and I will
stay in Paris, visit Musee d' Rodin in afternoon

Day 4: Whatever suits my fancy!!! Alone in Paris for a day!!! :) Shopping a must.

Day 5: Versailles

Day 6: Early train from Paris to Dijon. Nothing planned, just take day as it comes.

Day 7: Early train from Dijon to Lyon. Same as above. Will join my husband at his training school that evening.

Day 8: Will drive (rental car) from school to Marsaille around 5pm. Arrive in Marseille around 8:30.

Day 9: Morning in Marseille, maybe lunch in Cassis? Read about Cassis in newspaper article. Rest of day we'll drive in the direction of Monaco. No plans, play it by ear.

Day 10: Still playing it by ear, although reservations for night at hotel in Monte Carlo.

Day 11: still playing by ear, but return car and stay near airport in Nice.

The Batobus is a good choice if you plan on using it all day. For just a cruise I'd recommend Vedettes de Pont Neuf, which is near your hotel.

Personally I'd skip Dijon if only spending a day there. The Hotel du Jura is right down the street from the station, a perfect choice if taking an early train.

Flying out of Nice we have enjoyed staying at the Hotel St Paul in St Paul de Vence, which is about twenty minutes from the airport. The village is charming, and even more enjoyable after the daytrippers leave.

>>still playing by ear<<

What time of the year???

I sure would not "play it by ear" on a very short trip, if you will be on the Cote d'Azur in May, June, July, Aug, or Sept - unless you are extremly familiar with the region.

Stu Dudley

For one day in Burgundy I would choose Beaune over Dijon.

I think that May and June would be OK to play it by ear on the Cote d'Azur. July and August definitely not.

Driving Lyon to Marseille in 3-1/2 hours is a push. Have you considered taking the train? There is a TGV departing at 1737 arriving at 1918. You'll get to Marseille rested and in time for dinner. Rent a car there if you want to amble about or take a train to Monaco.

I agree with Ron and spaarne, you won't have enough time in Dijon which has a lot to offer. Either skip Burgundy and come back later for a longer stay or go to Beaune and visit the Hospices (old hospital with tiled roof) and a winery. Beaune is only 20min from Dijon and is on the way to Lyon. Bon voyage!

Day 1 is rather jammed, since you'll be jet-lagged. Are you planning to do this all on foot? It's a LOT of walking - a big, big loop (I do it often, but not when jet-lagged). I'd make sure you know how to do this efficiently by métro. I also wouldn't count on being awake enough to appreciate the Louvre that night. And why Trocadéro? Not that it's not interesting, but hardly a typical traveler's destination.

Day 2 is a bit of a loser - there's nothing to see along the Champs Elysées except the same type of big stores you'd see in a mall in America. It certainly doesn't merit a half-day or more. There are many far better walks in Paris. And the Batobus is transport, not a cruise. I wouldn't use it for "a boat ride on the Seine." You want to use the Vedettes du Pont Neuf or some other cruise company.

I would skip Dijon and head to Beaune, and I would definitely not play it by ear on the Riviera unless this is a winter trip.

Wow thanks SO much for the feedback.

We will be there April 8-19. We are flying business class so I'm assuming we will actually get to sleep in the plane. Otherwise we can take a nap when we get to hotel.

On the Trocadero, I saw that was one of the metro stops near the Eiffel Tower. Thanks on the heads up regarding the jaunt along the Champs d Elysses.

Regarding Dijon, my original plan was Beaune based on recs here but my good friend spent a summer in France and recommended Dijon over Beaune. I'm not married to either location and will look into it a bit more.

I actually had the thought last night of the tgv btw Lyon and Marseille. I'll look into that option. The director of the school emailed this morning and suggested we drive Friday night to Avignon and continue to coast Saturday am. Is marseille worth seeing?

Thank you all again!

<i>We are flying business class so I'm assuming we will actually get to sleep in the plane. Otherwise we can take a nap when we get to hotel. </i>

Do not assume anything. And if you nap when you get to the hotel you will extend your jet lag by days.

To sleep on the plane fly during your normal sleep time, i.e. a late evening flight and definitely not an afternoon flight. I have some vodka and then wine with my pasta dinner, and sleep like a baby. I never have jet lag going to Europe any more.

Lol on the vodka. Our flight is early evening out of Houston. I took this flight (coach) in September and did okay with the jet lag having pretty much no sleep on plane. I think having 2 little kids acclimates you to little sleep. :). Last trip I didn't drink because I was trying ambien on the flight (big mistake).

>>Last trip I didn't drink because I was trying ambien on the flight (big mistake).<<

I take booze to put me to sleep & Ambien to keep me asleep.

Stu Dudley